The use of PCR material helps limit waste, reduces the consumption of virgin material, whether it be fossil or bio-based

LEATHERHEAD, Surrey, UK and AKRON, Ohio, USA – 6 May 2020 – The global cannabis packaging industry is in a state of transition from an illegal to a legal market, and there will be a number of winners and losers. Large national brands and producers with economies of scale will win. The small producer and retailer will lose without laws protecting them from competition. Smithers latest market report, ‘The Future of Cannabis Packaging to 2024’ forecasts the global cannabis packaging market value will reach $1.6 billion in 2024. This growth creates supply challenges, as do changing government regulations. Government regulations have favoured decentralised cannabis production. The result is many small integrated producers. The market is characterised by many small customers doing much of the packaging and labelling by hand. Distributors of speciality/pharma packaging with local inventories are key suppliers, as are online sales from China. Smithers’ analysis for ‘The Future of Cannabis Packaging to 2024’ identifies the following key trends and drivers for the global cannabis packaging industry over the next five years: Many countries have decriminalised cannabis and allow its limited use for medical purposes. Cannabis and CBD will be proven medically as a useful natural product. Recreational cannabis is legal in three countries and 10 US states. Most developed countries will tax and regulate cannabis. Where onerous regulations and taxes remain, the underground market will thrive. Packaging regulations will change often and quickly. Pouches with best available technology and child resistance will also gain market share. At present single-use cannabis packaging and vape cartridges are treated as waste. Over the forecast period glass packaging is used and more automation. Also, small, flexible-barrier film packaging systems to be widely employed. Currently, vaporizing concentrates are gaining popularity over smoking cannabis. New cannabis formulations will be developed for rapid delivery and lower cost. Packaging systems for vape cartridges will require more robust packages. Germany has been importing medical cannabis from Canada; complaints force Canadians to use preservations and Germans to suspend imports. The future will involve intelligent and advanced packaging technologies that eliminate the need for preservatives. Vaping concentrates from branded delivery technology with nationally recognised packaging will dominate the market. Smithers latest report, ‘The Future of Cannabis Packaging to 2024’ covers the market trends and drivers relevant to the cannabis product types, regulatory environment, packaging designs and technical requirements. The study will profile key companies, brands and strategies to show the wide variety of packages being used for cannabis products. A number of case studies of cannabis packaging will be presented; these will reveal how innovative designs are embraced and how sustainability is a key component of cannabis packages in the customer’s mind. CBD and products infused with it will not be reviewed in this report, as it is mainly unregulated and sold in OTC products everywhere. -ENDS- Notes for Editors ‘The Future of Cannabis Packaging to 2024’ - £4,750 ($6,500, €5,250) For press enquiries or a more detailed article, please contact: Joanna Gibson: Tel: +44 (0) 1372 802 037 jgibson@smithers.com About Smithers Founded in 1925 and headquartered in Akron, Ohio, Smithers is a multinational provider of testing, consulting, information, and compliance services. With laboratories and operations in North America, Europe, and Asia, Smithers supports customers in the transportation, life science, packaging, materials, components, consumer, and energy industries. Smithers delivers accurate data, on time, with high touch, by integrating science, technology, and business expertise, so customers can innovate with confidence. www.smithers.com Joanna Gibson Marketing Manager – Reports and Consultancy Information Division Smithers Cleeve Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7RU, UK jgibson@smithers.com +44 (0)1372 802037 www.smithers.com

A device master file provides regulatory authorities with proprietary data about a material, component or manufacturing

In addition to his role as Chair of the Executive Team, Dr.

Part of the LVMH group, Domaine Chandon Australia (DCA) are an Australian sparkling wine specialist and producer with genuine French heritage. DCA made the decision to collaborate with Sidel on a project to improve the efficiency of their bottling operations. By choosing Sidel’s expertise in complete End-of-Line solutions, DCA were able to increase the utilisation rate of their manufacturing assets and produce more consistent case stacking quality on pallets, outcomes that eventually led to improved downstream logistic operations. The fully automated Cermex WB46 Wrap-Around case packer – including a partition inserter module and coupled with the PalAccess® palletiser – has enabled Domaine Chandon Australia to accommodate the growing local demand of premium wine. Chandon have a history going back decades, when Moët & Chandon started to produce premium sparkling wines outside of France. Chandon’s founder, Robert-Jean de Vogüé, first travelled abroad in the late 1950s to collaborate with winemakers in foreign countries, applying his Champagne expertise to new world sparkling wine creation. In the mid-1980s, a team of Chandon’s experts discovered Green Point, an old dairy farm in the Yarra Valley in the state of Victoria. There, the climate is cool and the soil is rich, making it the perfect spot for Domaine Chandon Australia to produce méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines. Staying on top as sparkling wine wave sweeps across Australia The sparkling wine segment is currently accounting for 6.9% of the wine and cider market in Australia and expected to grow further over the next five years. This positive trajectory is due to the increasing consumer preference towards premium and more sophisticated drinks, including French champagnes. Since 2014, more and more wine lovers have been shifting from low-value wines to higher-value ones, leading to a growth of 5% and an expected revenue of USD 6.9 billion through 2018-2019. New companies are expected to enter into this segment, and to stay competitive, large industry players will have to further adopt automation as part of their production routines. What has been achieved at Domaine Chandon with Sidel is a great example of such an initiative, delivering a safer, more automated and efficient solution. Sidel’s strong heritage in line integration for the wine and spirits market Sidel and DCA began working on the project a few years ago, starting with a number of conceptual layouts based on the available floor space, the packaging design specifications and Domaine Chandon’s technical requirements for the equipment. Wrap-Around packing is not widely used in this industry but the Australian sparkling wine producer quickly identified the benefits of using this type of case versus the more commonly seen Regular Slotted Case (RSC) designs. “DCA are a true pioneer, and despite the challenges they represented to couple this case design with the integration of a partition inserter module within the same piece of equipment, we were very excited to be part of this journey,” says Julien Claudin, Country Manager for Australia at Sidel. DCA’s objective for the new installation was to partner with one supplier to provide an end-to-end solution that embarked on a high level of automation for each and every step of the process. The Cermex WB46 Wrap-Around case packer is perfectly suited for the packing operation involving premium product handling. The machine provides extremely smooth bottle handling, regardless of the bottle’s design or applied label type. All the contact points between the machine’s parts and the products are designed to maintain the products integrity and to avoid the risks of product marking – no matter whether it is handling Special Editions decorated with sleeves, or regular Domaine Chandon bottles, which come with paper labels. The carefully designed picking head grabs and transfers six bottles at a time onto the automated partition inserter module that is built into the case packer unit. “We spent time verifying the proposed technical concepts to make sure that the bottles would be handled with extra care, minimising the risks of damaging any part of the container, including hoods, labels and sleeves,” adds Julien. Afterwards the product collation is transferred into the Wrap-Around blanks that are then fully enclosed around the bottles to provide a strong and perfectly squared case. The latter is fundamental to ensure proper palletisation and successful downstream logistic operations. Chris Fraser, Production Supervisor at Domaine Chandon comments, “Our cartons have an extremely squared shape and also stack very well on the pallet; this means that there is minimal impact on our quality once the product is transported.” Richard McCaughey, Operations Director, DCA, adds: “We already had a case packing solution onsite but this one still included a high level of manual handling: we inserted case partitions by hand, palletised by hand and forklifted between machines for stretch wrapping.” Coming out of the Cermex WB46, the cases are labelled and conveyed into the Sidel PalAccess palletiser. This piece of equipment is another fully automated unit with tool-less changeovers, requiring neither a change of parts nor manual adjustments. Looking into the future, the HMI’s built-in PalDesigner® software enables operators to design, simulate and load new pallet patterns without the need of additional programming or specific service intervention. The new operating panel’s interface also allows access to the machine’s technical documentation, One Point Lesson (OPL) sheets and specific videos to assist with trouble shooting operations. Richard concludes, “Throughout the whole process, the Sidel teams were very proactive and helped us analyse some of the most difficult challenges of the project, in particular the automated partition insertion into the cases.” Sidel expand local footprint in Australia and New Zealand “One of the doubts we initially had during this project was working with a supplier who have their roots in Europe: we were afraid that the local support they might have provided to an Australian customer was less than what we usually get from local players. Looking back, it was very encouraging to see that Sidel are rather able to combine local proximity with a global footprint; this is key if they want to increase their operations in our region,” Richard highlights. “We are currently expanding in the Australian and New Zealand markets,” Julien adds. “For us, Chandon are a very strong partner here, especially since we want to grow further in this market, building on our longstanding legacy in the wine and spirits segment.” The End-of-Line project has now been running successfully for more than one year and Domaine Chandon are seeing positive results all around: the sparkling winemaker have been able to achieve higher efficiency levels and reach their production targets in a growing business environment. For editorial, advertising and sponsorship enquiries, please contact: F&H Porter Novelli Nikolaus Schreck, Senior Consultant sidel@fundh.de‌ ‌ Tel: +49 (0) 89 121 75 123

IndexBox has just published a new report: 'EU - Soft Drinks - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights'. Here is a summary of the report's key findings. In 2018, EU soft drink consumption rose suddenly by 2.7% to 52.1B litres, bouncing back to the 2011 level. Over the previous six years, soda per capita consumption showed a downward trend due to the growing popularity of a healthy lifestyle. The revenue of the soft drink market in the European Union is estimated at $34.5B in 2018, approximately mirroring the previous year. This figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers (excluding logistics costs, retail marketing costs, and retailers' margins, which will be included in the final consumer price). Consumption By Country The countries with the highest volumes of soft drink consumption in 2018 were Germany (11B litres), the UK (8.4B litres) and Spain (5.3B litres), together accounting for 48% of total consumption. These countries were followed by France, Poland, Italy, Romania, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Belgium and the Netherlands, which together accounted for a further 41%. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of soft drink consumption, amongst the main consuming countries, was attained by Austria, while soft drink consumption for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. In value terms, the largest soft drink markets in the European Union were Germany ($5.9B), the UK ($5.6B) and Spain ($4.8B), together comprising 47% of the total market. France, Austria, Italy, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic lagged somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 42%. The countries with the highest levels of soft drink per capita consumption in 2018 were Austria (183 litres per person), Hungary (158 litres per person) and Germany (138 litres per person). Production in the EU In 2018, approx. 55B litres of soft drinks were produced in the European Union; rising by 3.3% against the previous year. In general, soft drink production continues to show a downward trend. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2008 with an increase of 3.5% against the previous year. Production by Country The countries with the highest volumes of soft drink production in 2018 were Germany (12B litres), the UK (7.8B litres) and Spain (5.4B litres), with a combined 47% share of total production. France, Poland, Italy, Austria, Romania, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Belgium lagged somewhat behind, together comprising a further 45%. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of soft drink production, amongst the main producing countries, was attained by Austria, while soft drink production for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. Exports in the EU In 2018, the soft drink exports in the European Union stood at 13B litres, surging by 9.7% against the previous year. The total export volume increased at an average annual rate of +2.9% from 2007 to 2018; however, the trend pattern indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded in certain years. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2018 when exports increased by 9.7% against the previous year. In that year, soft drink exports reached their peak and are likely to continue its growth in the immediate term. In value terms, soft drink exports amounted to $11.6B (IndexBox estimates) in 2018. The total export value increased at an average annual rate of +3.4% over the period from 2007 to 2018; however, the trend pattern indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded in certain years. The pace of growth appeared the most rapid in 2018 when exports increased by 16% y-o-y. In that year, soft drink exports attained their peak and are likely to continue its growth in the immediate term. Exports by Country In 2018, Germany (2,321M litres), Austria (1,872M litres), the Netherlands (1,286M litres), France (1,230M litres), Belgium (972M litres), Poland (943M litres), Italy (650M litres), the UK (581M litres), the Czech Republic (513M litres), Spain (430M litres), Denmark (340M litres) and Ireland (334M litres) was the largest exporter of soft drinks exported in the European Union, creating 90% of total export. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of exports, amongst the main exporting countries, was attained by Italy, while exports for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. In value terms, the largest soft drink supplying countries in the European Union were Austria ($2.5B), Germany ($2B) and the Netherlands ($1.4B), together accounting for 51% of total exports. These countries were followed by Belgium, France, the UK, Italy, Poland, Denmark, Ireland, Spain and the Czech Republic, which together accounted for a further 42%. Export Prices by Country In 2018, the soft drink export price in the European Union amounted to $0.9 per litre, picking up by 5.6% against the previous year. Overall, the soft drink export price continues to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2013 when the export price increased by 7.7% year-to-year. In that year, the export prices for soft drinks attained their peak level of $1 per litre. From 2014 to 2018, the growth in terms of the export prices for soft drinks failed to regain its momentum. Prices varied noticeably by the country of origin; the country with the highest price was Austria ($1.4 per litre), while the Czech Republic ($0.4 per litre) was amongst the lowest. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by the UK. Imports in the EU The imports totaled 9.9B litres in 2018, rising by 8% against the previous year. The total import volume increased at an average annual rate of +2.3% from 2007 to 2018; the trend pattern remained consistent, with somewhat noticeable fluctuations throughout the analyzed period. The pace of growth appeared the most rapid in 2018 when imports increased by 8% against the previous year. In that year, soft drink imports attained their peak and are likely to continue its growth in the immediate term. In value terms, soft drink imports amounted to $8.6B (IndexBox estimates) in 2018. The total import value increased at an average annual rate of +3.0% over the period from 2007 to 2018; the trend pattern remained consistent, with somewhat noticeable fluctuations in certain years. The pace of growth appeared the most rapid in 2018 with an increase of 14% y-o-y. In that year, soft drink imports attained their peak and are likely to continue its growth in the immediate term. Imports by Country The countries with the highest levels of soft drink imports in 2018 were Germany (1,309M litres), the UK (1,113M litres), Belgium (1,081M litres), the Netherlands (964M litres) and France (803M litres), together accounting for 53% of total import. Hungary (400M litres), Slovakia (365M litres), Sweden (365M litres), the Czech Republic (350M litres), Spain (326M litres), Italy (326M litres) and Ireland (325M litres) held a little share of total imports. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of imports, amongst the main importing countries, was attained by Hungary. In value terms, Germany ($1.2B), the UK ($1.2B) and Belgium ($937M) constituted the countries with the highest levels of imports in 2018, with a combined 39% share of total imports. These countries were followed by France, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, which together accounted for a further 40%. Sweden experienced the highest rates of growth with regard to the value of imports, among the main importing countries over the period under review, while imports for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. Import Prices by Country The soft drink import price in the European Union stood at $0.9 per litre in 2018, rising by 5.7% against the previous year. In general, the soft drink import price continues to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2008 when the import price increased by 12% y-o-y. The level of import price peaked at $0.9 per litre in 2011; however, from 2012 to 2018, import prices failed to regain their momentum. There were significant differences in the average prices amongst the major importing countries. In 2018, the country with the highest price was Spain ($1.1 per litre), while Slovakia ($0.5 per litre) was amongst the lowest. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by the Netherlands, while the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

IndexBox has just published a new report: 'EU - Paper Trays, Dishes, Plates And Cups - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights'. Here is a summary of the report's key findings. The revenue of the paper dishes and cups market in the European Union amounted to $1.4B in 2018. This figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers (excluding logistics costs, retail marketing costs, and retailers' margins, which will be included in the final consumer price). The market value increased at an average annual rate of +1.1% over the period from 2007 to 2018; the trend pattern remained relatively stable, with somewhat noticeable fluctuations being recorded throughout the analyzed period. Consumption by Country The countries with the highest volumes of paper dishes and cups consumption in 2018 were the UK (111K tonnes), Germany (71K tonnes) and France (36K tonnes), together accounting for 51% of total consumption. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of paper dishes and cups consumption, amongst the main consuming countries, was attained by the UK, while paper dishes and cups consumption for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. In value terms, the largest paper dishes and cups markets in the European Union were the UK ($376M), Germany ($238M) and France ($128M), with a combined 54% share of the total market. Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Romania, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic lagged somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 33%. The countries with the highest levels of paper dishes and cups per capita consumption in 2018 were the UK (1,667 kg per 1000 persons), the Netherlands (1,396 kg per 1000 persons) and Sweden (1,157 kg per 1000 persons). Exports in the EU In 2018, the amount of paper trays, dishes, plates and cups exported in the European Union stood at 202K tonnes, going up by 9.9% against the previous year. The total export volume increased at an average annual rate of +4.2% over the period from 2007 to 2018; however, the trend pattern indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded in certain years. In value terms, paper dishes and cups exports stood at $791M (IndexBox estimates) in 2018. Exports by Country Italy represented the largest exporter of paper trays, dishes, plates and cups exported in the European Union, with the volume of exports resulting at 64K tonnes, which was approx. 32% of total exports in 2018. Germany (22K tonnes) took an 11% share (based on tonnes) of total exports, which put it in second place, followed by Poland (10%), the UK (9.5%), Finland (6.8%), Spain (6.4%) and the Netherlands (4.8%). From 2007 to 2018, average annual rates of growth with regard to paper dishes and cups exports from Italy stood at +3.1%. At the same time, the Netherlands (+15.4%), Poland (+10.0%), Spain (+8.4%), the UK (+2.5%) and Germany (+1.1%) displayed positive paces of growth. Moreover, the Netherlands emerged as the fastest-growing exporter exported in the European Union, with a CAGR of +15.4% from 2007-2018. By contrast, Finland (-1.4%) illustrated a downward trend over the same period. From 2007 to 2018, the share of Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK increased by +9.1%, +6.7%, +3.8%, +3.8% and +2.2% percentage points, while the shares of the other countries remained relatively stable throughout the analyzed period. In value terms, Italy ($276M) remains the largest paper dishes and cups supplier in the European Union, comprising 35% of total paper dishes and cups exports. The second position in the ranking was occupied by Germany ($86M), with a 11% share of total exports. It was followed by the UK, with a 10% share. Export Prices by Country The paper dishes and cups export price in the European Union stood at $3,914 per tonne in 2018, increasing by 3.3% against the previous year. Over the period under review, the paper dishes and cups export price continues to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. There were significant differences in the average prices amongst the major exporting countries. In 2018, the country with the highest price was the Netherlands ($4,651 per tonne), while Finland ($2,981 per tonne) was amongst the lowest. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Italy, while the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. Imports in the EU In 2018, approx. 288K tonnes of paper trays, dishes, plates and cups were imported in the European Union; picking up by 11% against the previous year. In general, paper dishes and cups imports continue to indicate resilient growth. The volume of imports peaked in 2018 and are likely to continue its growth in the near future. In value terms, paper dishes and cups imports amounted to $912M (IndexBox estimates) in 2018. Imports by Country The imports of the four major importers of paper trays, dishes, plates and cups, namely the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and France, represented more than half of total import. Sweden (14K tonnes) took a 4.9% share (based on tonnes) of total imports, which put it in second place, followed by Spain (4.9%). The following importers - Belgium (13K tonnes), Ireland (9K tonnes), Italy (8.5K tonnes), Greece (8.2K tonnes), Austria (8.1K tonnes) and Romania (7K tonnes) - together made up 19% of total imports. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of imports, amongst the main importing countries, was attained by Romania, while imports for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. In value terms, Germany ($147M), the UK ($134M) and France ($113M) were the countries with the highest levels of imports in 2018, together accounting for 43% of total imports. These countries were followed by the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Romania and Greece, which together accounted for a further 42%. Import Prices by Country The paper dishes and cups import price in the European Union stood at $3,160 per tonne in 2018, growing by 1.6% against the previous year. In general, the paper dishes and cups import price, however, continues to indicate a mild deduction. Prices varied noticeably by the country of destination; the country with the highest price was Belgium ($3,706 per tonne), while the UK ($2,354 per tonne) was amongst the lowest. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Italy, while the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

IndexBox has just published a new report: 'EU - Folding Boxboard - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights'. Here is a summary of the report's key findings. The revenue of the folding boxboard market in the European Union amounted to $9.6B in 2018, growing by 7.9% against the previous year. This figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers (excluding logistics costs, retail marketing costs, and retailers' margins, which will be included in the final consumer price). Overall, folding boxboard consumption continues to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The pace of growth appeared the most rapid in 2011 when the market value increased by 8% year-to-year. In that year, the folding boxboard market attained its peak level of $10.7B. From 2012 to 2018, the growth of the folding boxboard market remained at a lower figure. Consumption by Country The countries with the highest volumes of folding boxboard consumption in 2018 were Germany (1.1M tonnes), Poland (1M tonnes) and France (1M tonnes), with a combined 40% share of total consumption. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of folding boxboard consumption, amongst the main consuming countries, was attained by Poland, while folding boxboard consumption for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. In value terms, the largest folding boxboard markets in the European Union were Germany ($1.4B), Poland ($1.3B) and France ($1.3B), with a combined 41% share of the total market. In 2018, the highest levels of folding boxboard per capita consumption was registered in Austria (63 kg per person), followed by Poland (27 kg per person), the Netherlands (21 kg per person) and Italy (17 kg per person), while the world average per capita consumption of folding boxboard was estimated at 15 kg per person. Market Forecast to 2030 Driven by increasing demand for folding boxboard in the European Union, the market is expected to continue an upward consumption trend over the next decade. Market performance is forecast to accelerate, expanding with an anticipated CAGR of +1.8% for the period from 2018 to 2030, which is projected to bring the market volume to 9.8M tonnes by the end of 2030. Production in the EU In 2018, approx. 12M tonnes of folding boxboard were produced in the European Union; picking up by 1.6% against the previous year. The total output volume increased at an average annual rate of +1.5% over the period from 2007 to 2018; the trend pattern remained consistent, with somewhat noticeable fluctuations throughout the analyzed period. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2010 with an increase of 7.6% y-o-y. Over the period under review, folding boxboard production attained its peak figure volume in 2018 and is likely to continue its growth in the near future. Production by Country The countries with the highest volumes of folding boxboard production in 2018 were Sweden (3.1M tonnes), Finland (2.8M tonnes) and Germany (1.8M tonnes), with a combined 64% share of total production. Italy, Austria, Poland and France lagged somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 24%. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of folding boxboard production, amongst the main producing countries, was attained by Poland, while folding boxboard production for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. Exports in the EU In 2018, the amount of folding boxboard exported in the European Union totaled 11M tonnes, approximately equating the previous year. The total export volume increased at an average annual rate of +2.3% over the period from 2007 to 2018; however, the trend pattern indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded in certain years. In value terms, folding boxboard exports totaled $13.3B (IndexBox estimates) in 2018. Exports by Country The exports of the three major exporters of folding boxboard, namely Sweden, Finland and Germany, represented more than two-thirds of total export. Italy (503K tonnes), Belgium (461K tonnes), Austria (363K tonnes), Poland (350K tonnes), France (341K tonnes), the Netherlands (319K tonnes), Spain (295K tonnes), Slovenia (233K tonnes) and the UK (214K tonnes) held a minor share of total exports. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of exports, amongst the main exporting countries, was attained by Belgium, while exports for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. In value terms, Sweden ($3.1B), Finland ($2.8B) and Germany ($2.8B) appeared to be the countries with the highest levels of exports in 2018, together comprising 66% of total exports. Italy, Poland, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Spain, Austria, the UK and Slovenia lagged somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 30%. Export Prices by Country In 2018, the folding boxboard export price in the European Union amounted to $1,160 per tonne, jumping by 5.1% against the previous year. Over the period under review, the folding boxboard export price, however, continues to indicate a slight reduction. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2011 when the export price increased by 12% year-to-year. In that year, the export prices for folding boxboard reached their peak level of $1,471 per tonne. From 2012 to 2018, the growth in terms of the export prices for folding boxboard remained at a somewhat lower figure. There were significant differences in the average prices amongst the major exporting countries. In 2018, the country with the highest price was Poland ($1,711 per tonne), while Slovenia ($753 per tonne) was amongst the lowest. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Slovenia, while the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. Imports in the EU The imports totaled 7.3M tonnes in 2018, approximately mirroring the previous year. The total import volume increased at an average annual rate of +1.5% from 2007 to 2018; the trend pattern remained consistent, with only minor fluctuations being recorded over the period under review. The pace of growth appeared the most rapid in 2010 when imports increased by 14% against the previous year. The volume of imports peaked in 2018 and are likely to continue its growth in the immediate term. In value terms, folding boxboard imports amounted to $8.9B (IndexBox estimates) in 2018. Imports by Country In 2018, Germany (1.4M tonnes), distantly followed by the UK (768K tonnes), Italy (743K tonnes), France (678K tonnes), Poland (671K tonnes), Spain (546K tonnes), the Netherlands (541K tonnes) and Belgium (462K tonnes) represented the main importers of folding boxboard, together mixing up 79% of total imports. The Czech Republic (208K tonnes), Austria (190K tonnes), Portugal (159K tonnes) and Hungary (139K tonnes) took a little share of total imports. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of imports, amongst the main importing countries, was attained by Poland, while imports for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. In value terms, Germany ($1.7B), the UK ($928M) and Italy ($849M) appeared to be the countries with the highest levels of imports in 2018, with a combined 38% share of total imports. These countries were followed by France, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, the Czech Republic, Portugal and Hungary, which together accounted for a further 49%. Import Prices by Country The folding boxboard import price in the European Union stood at $1,217 per tonne in 2018, increasing by 7.7% against the previous year. In general, the folding boxboard import price, however, continues to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The pace of growth was the most pronounced in 2011 when the import price increased by 12% y-o-y. In that year, the import prices for folding boxboard reached their peak level of $1,458 per tonne. From 2012 to 2018, the growth in terms of the import prices for folding boxboard remained at a lower figure. Average prices varied somewhat amongst the major importing countries. In 2018, major importing countries recorded the following prices: in Austria ($1,416 per tonne) and Portugal ($1,407 per tonne), while the Czech Republic ($1,125 per tonne) and Belgium ($1,136 per tonne) were amongst the lowest. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by the Netherlands, while the other leaders experienced a decline in the import price figures. Source: IndexBox AI Platform

IndexBox has just published a new report: 'World - Temporarily Preserved Vegetable - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights'. Here is a summary of the report's key findings. Imports 2007-2018 In 2018, the amount of canned vegetables imported worldwide totaled 593K tonnes, standing approx. at the previous year. Overall, temporarily preserved vegetable imports, however, continue to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The pace of growth appeared the most rapid in 2017 when imports increased by 13% against the previous year. In that year, global temporarily preserved vegetable imports attained their peak of 595K tonnes, leveling off in the following year. In value terms, temporarily preserved vegetable imports stood at $649M (IndexBox estimates) in 2018. Imports by Country The countries with the highest levels of temporarily preserved vegetable imports in 2018 were Japan (71K tonnes), South Korea (66K tonnes), Italy (55K tonnes), Spain (44K tonnes), France (41K tonnes), Brazil (31K tonnes), Russia (31K tonnes), the U.S. (26K tonnes), Belgium (21K tonnes), Germany (20K tonnes), the UK (19K tonnes) and Chile (15K tonnes), together reaching 74% of total import. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of imports, amongst the main importing countries, was attained by Brazil, while imports for the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. In value terms, the largest temporarily preserved vegetable importing markets worldwide were Italy ($98M), Japan ($77M) and France ($50M), together accounting for 35% of global imports. Spain, Germany, Brazil, Belgium, South Korea, the U.S., the UK, Russia and Chile lagged somewhat behind, together comprising a further 39%. Among the main importing countries, Brazil experienced the highest growth rate of the value of imports, over the period under review, while imports for the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. Import Prices by Country In 2018, the average temporarily preserved vegetable import price amounted to $1,094 per tonne, jumping by 3.6% against the previous year. Over the period under review, the temporarily preserved vegetable import price, however, continues to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2008 when the average import price increased by 6.5% y-o-y. The global import price peaked at $1,303 per tonne in 2013; however, from 2014 to 2018, import prices failed to regain their momentum. Prices varied noticeably by the country of destination; the country with the highest price was Italy ($1,769 per tonne), while South Korea ($427 per tonne) was amongst the lowest. From 2007 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by South Korea, while the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth. Source: IndexBox AI Platform

Do you see the benefits of Tekscan pressure mapping technology, but are seeking a cost-effective solution for high-volume system deployment? PM64™ is a new basic pressure mapping scanning electronics module that supports the deployment of multiple pressure mapping systems for high-volume users and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Utilizing PM64 with the Pressure Mapping Software Development Kit (SDK), the end user can include Tekscan pressure mapping data in a live feedback loop for inline Quality Assurance/Quality Control testing. 8x8 (64-point) sensing array Small, compact housing for electronics Quick, reliable sensor connection Sensor customization available Want to integrate pressure mapping technology into your product or machine? With Tekscan’s Software Development Kit (SDK), an ease-of-use application programming interface (API), PM64 allows users to implement pressure mapping technology across several locations, and OEMs to more easily integrate pressure mapping capabilities into their user interface. With this freedom, a customized .NET framework can be created to: Get Data: Communicate with Tekscan data acquisition electronics Record Data: Control acquisition parameters for saving data Read Data: Access and read data from previously saved files.

The number of businesses wondering how they can make sure their staff are protected and stay safe and at the same time how they can keep their business and production processes up and running is growing day by day. Is it the right time to invest in automation technology? Is now the time to safeguard the future for what comes after the crisis by putting in place Industry 4.0-based flexible automation and digitalisation and at the same time to scale up the competitive edge? Only you yourself can answer these questions. What the KOCH sales team can certainly do for you, however, is support and advise you in the decision-making process – ranging from a feasibility analysis to developing bespoke single systems or even complete turnkey systems which can be integrated into your existing production processes. Grasp this window of opportunity to future-proof your business with robot systems engineered by KOCH so that you will gain that crucial competitive edge and your production processes will be geared up for the surge of enquiries once this crisis is over. With over 40 years of experience engineering flexible and customised automation solutions for all factory areas, KOCH Industrieanlagen GmbH is the right company to talk to. So why not contact the KOCH sales team right now? Simply phone them on +49 2689 9451-0 or e-mail them at vertrieb@koch-roboter.de.

Since that time, we have developed many innovative products, such as the stretch blow moulding of PP, and have always ex

KIKUSUI EUROPE Srl , is the European branch of the Kikusui group. We are the exclusive distributors in Europe, the Middle East and Africa of Kikusui tablet presses, which have been well known and used in Japan for over 100 years and in the United States for about 40 years, with thousands of machines installed all over the world. KIKUSUI EUROPE, Srl is the European subsidiary of KIKUSUI GROUP . We are the Sole distributor for the European market, middle east area and Afrika of Kikusui Tablet Presses, which have been well established in Japan for over 100 Yrs and in USA for over 40 years, with thousands of machine installations worldwide. KIKUSUI SEISAKUSHO LTD is the parent company, based in Kyoto, Japan, and is a private company established in 1910, with around 300 employees spread across Japan, the United States and Europe. KIKUSUI SEISAKUSHO LTD has developed and introduced in Japan the tablet presses at high speed and with electronic controls for the pharmaceutical industry, since 1957. KIKUSUI SEISAKUSHO LTD our Parent Company based in Kyoto, Japan has been privately held since 1910 and has approximately 300 employees worldwide. KIKUSUI SEISAKUSHO LTD have been innovators of the High Speed Rotary Tablet Press to the Japanese Pharmaceutical market since 1957. The tabletting KIKUSUI are designed with an emphasis on robustness, ease of use and ergonomic design, and for intensive use and long lasting. KIKUSUI EUROPE is able to offer machines for R&D and for production, machines with conventional technology and with removable drum, for simple or two-layer tablets, compressed in the tablet ( dry film ), machines with a car wash system (WIP) and drying , containment machines for high activity products, machines with different types and levels of electronic controls. KIKUSUI EUROPE can also provide equipment accessories upstream and downstream of the compressing as well as support for installation and validation machines. K IKUSUI Tablet Presses are engineered with a Robust and Ergonomic design for ease of operation and extended service life. KIKUSUI EUROPE offers Lab Scale / R & D and Production tablet presses in Conventional Single Layer, Multi-Layer, Dry Coater, WIP / Containment, Computer Controlled / Instrumented and Exchangeable Turret technologies, as well as ancillary products and Turn key engineering for upstream and downstream applications . KIKUSUI EUROPE has its operational headquarters in Muggiò, in via dell'Artigianato n. 9, of about 500 m², where the production facility is located, as well as sales and technical support, with the possibility of using a test and demonstration laboratory in an air-conditioned environment. KIKUSUI EUROPE have established our new headquarters to a 500sq / mt. facility in Muggiò , Italy. This facility offers complete manufacturing, sales, service (parts support) and training, as well as a new State of the Art showroom for trials and demonstrations. For any information or request, please contact us at: For more information about our entire line of Technologically advanced Tablet Presses and Ancillary devices please contact us at: KIKUSUI EUROPE SRL Via Dell'Artigianato, 9 / C, Muggio , 20835 MB Phone & Fax: 0039 392785491 Email: sales@kikusui-eu.com www.kikusui.com

In times of uncertainty, reliable products help provide reassurance when consumers need it most.

Smurfit Kappa has been selected by food service provider Bidfood to facilitate its packaging requirements following the UK Government’s recent agreement to send food parcels to 1.5 million vulnerable people in the UK during the coronavirus pandemic. Those identified as vulnerable, who have registered for a care package online, have already begun to receive the parcels, which contain 20 essential items including pasta, fresh / tinned fruit, milk and bread as well as items such as toilet rolls and shower gel. A full dedicated team within the Smurfit Kappa Yate corrugated plant, supported by the Smurfit Kappa paper division and Downton Logistics, rose to the challenge to ensure Bidfood’s needs were met promptly. An impressive turnaround time of just three days was achieved, from enquiry to delivery, into nine Bidfood depots. The first deliveries of the food parcels have had an overwhelmingly positive response. For the majority of the recipients, the knock at the door by the friendly delivery driver is the first social interaction they’ve had in days. The effort by all at Smurfit Kappa Yate has been well received by Bidfood. Richard Ranby, Director of Procurement & Property at Bidfood, said: “During this national crisis, we’ve been delighted with the support that Smurfit Kappa have provided in turning around essential supply boxes so rapidly for the Government’s local supply scheme, which has been crucial in our efforts to feed hundreds of thousands who are extremely vulnerable, and in isolation. “We’ve all had to work closely together to move at pace to mobilise what has been the biggest effort of its kind since the Second World War.” In these unprecedented times it is a testament to the employees of Smurfit Kappa and other critical suppliers who are working tirelessly to ensure the needs of the nation are met.

Smurfit Kappa is working with a company in France, Fée Nature, to provide the Bag-in-Box packaging solutions for a health drink made from birch sap. The sap, which is harvested each spring in the wild forests of the Pyrenees mountains, is sold in organic shops in France and in other European countries and is growing in popularity as a detox product for people looking to shed toxins after the Winter months. Fresh birch sap can be kept for 90 days but to extend the shelf life, the sap is lightly pasteurized for a few minutes at 60°c while still maintaining the quality of the product. Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box® was therefore able to create a perfect packaging solution for the drink that keeps it fresh for up to 24 months before opening and 8 weeks after opening. What's more, the pack is environmentally friendly and easy to use. To increase its production capacity, Fée Nature invested in a brand new BIB 700 automatic machine that was installed in February, just in time for this season's harvest. To preserve the maximum quality, the birch sap has to be packed very quickly; the whole production is done in just two months between March and April. The BIB 700 machine, which has a new generation filling valve with two separate circuits for nitrogen and vacuum, can fill up to 15 3-litre BIB packs per minute so it can easily facilitate the necessary speed and maintain the quality of this unusual product.

More than 4,800 companies were assessed by CDP and given a Supplier Engagement Rating.

Reducing food loss and waste is also critical in the fight against climate change.

This fact makes it vital for brands to understand what influences and motivates their target audiences, both now and in

The Scottish Government has failed to consider the valuable views of its constituents, the packaging industry and its ow